This will be my daughter's first Halloween since being diagnosed. I also have a 7 yr old daughter without celiac. I am very nervous about halloween and trick or treating. It has alwasy been such a big deal for us and my kids love it, so do my husband and I. How do you all handle the halloween candy? Do you let them eat the gluten-free stuff and then do what with the rest? I don't want one kid to end up with more loot than the other. I don't even know what candy would be gluten-free, it seems to be always changing. I am also in Canada. We have also thought about having both girls trick or treat then trade their loot for a large halloween basket of stuff. (kind of like an easter basket, maybe with a hunt involved). What are your thoughts? What do you all do at halloween?

I'm a mom in the same boat! Both of my boys can't have gluten, and one can't have casein either--it's our first Halloween on the diet. Anyone out there know what to do?

I'm thinking of hosting a pumpkin or squash carving party and everyone wears costumes (maybe not the same night as Halloween) and just having candy for the boys to have after the party. It sounds like a lot of work though. But... I want my boys to be kids and to not feel like they are left out of fun stuff at holidays. I don't know what to do.

We can't even eat the gluten-free candy, so the kids go trick or treating and then we buy it from them. Then we give the candy away. We also will make some treats we can eat.

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Our family is transitioning off the GAPS Intro Diet and into the Full GAPS Diet.
Gluten-Free since November 2010
GAPS Diet since January/February 2011
me - not tested for celiac - currently doing a gluten challenge since 11/26/2011
partner - not tested for celiac
ds - age 11, hospitalized 9/2010, celiac dx by gluten reaction & genetics. No biopsy or blood as we were already gluten-free by the time it was an option.
dd - age 12.5, not celiac, has Tourette's syndome
both kids have now-resolved attention issues.

We go trick r treating, separate out a reasonable amount of gluten-free candy.(with backups of course) and donate the rest. Last year the dentist did dollars for candy and another option was donating candy to an elderly housing community. Shelters also accept unopened candy.

I backup the treats with fruit snacks, small bags of smartfood popcorn or Utz cheese balls etc..

The last couple of years, my husband's office has collected Halloween candy (whatever you can pry away from the kids and the leftover's from what you pass out). They participate in a project called "Operation Gratitude" which ships it to troops overseas. Last year, my kid's school participated in the same program. Also, last year, there was a local dentist doing a buy-back program (something like $1/pound of candy). I don't know what he was doing with the candy, but he wanted to get it off the street (so-to-speak) Take a look around your community for some kind of program like these.

I do try to let them have some and get most of it out of the house because I'm the one with the weakest will power. I won't let the kids eat a bunch of candy in one sitting but I'll sneak pieces all day long

This will be the first gluten free Halloween for both of my boys. I will probably let them pick out what is safe and exchange the rest out with stuff they can eat. The candy we hand out is always gluten free (so I can eat some when I am handing it out ) so no big deal for us. Anyway I'm sure dad won't mind eating what we cant! I'm also hosting my 3rd Halloween party this year. First part I was diagnosed but hadn't went gluten free yet. Second party I didn't make the whole thing gluten free because of the expense, but had a separate area for gluten free food for me and three other guests. This year with both of my kids along with myself are gluten free so that's a no brainer..the whole thing will be gluten free. I'm going to keep it simple so the expense won't be to bad.

DS1(age 13):
repeated negative bloodwork and negative EGD/biopsy. Started on a gluten free trial(8/2011). He has decided to stay gluten free due to all of the improvements he has experienced on the diet.

Keep in mind some things may have changed and may no longer be gluten-free. Several bloggers do take the time to contact companies and compile a new list each year. It usually gets posted here, so keep an eye out for an updated 2011 list.

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A simple meal with love is better than a feast where there is hatred. Proverbs 15:17 (CEV)

We have AMAZING neighbors. Those who know my kids have issues have in the past gotten them books, little toys or money last year (this is our second year here so that was our first T-or-T here). Those know don't know us and gave us regular candy (kids can't do any commercial candy, we are dairy, egg, soy, peanut, tree nut, banana, coconut, palm allergic) we "buy" the candy from them. We do about 1/2 trading for safe candy and 1/2 cash/toy store gift card.

This helps in many ways too as they don't really have a stash of crappy candy around for a month or more.

Halloween was always my favorite
luckly for my parents i had just aged out of trick or treating when i got diagnosed with celiac disease so they didn't have to deal with it, but when i would go to a party and they would give out goodie bags i would put the safe stuff in my "safe" (let your kids build one or declare a shelf in the closet their safe "safe" and don't alow others to mess with the food on it, i had an entire cubbard, i was the only one in the family with celiac disease) and trade the rest of candy with my siblings (not celiac) for small toys like legos or cards
use halloween as a teaching opertunity allow your kids to sort their candy with a list then look over it your self and make sure it is all safe, then you can use the unsafe candy as bartering chips giving them a couple options like a nikel a piece or they can use all their candy to get a fish or something
i do not recomend giving unsafe candy to siblings unless all children fully understand what is safe and not because they will most likely retrade or get sticky fingers (i did this, your kids might not) and end up eating the bad stuff
also instead of giving out candy hand out non food items then when your kids get back just swap your kids bad stuff for the stuff in the bowl and hand out the unsafe candy

I think you'll be surprised by how much candy they CAN have. We usually just split it into 3 piles when we get home - stuff Kiddo can eat, stuff mom and dad can eat, and stuff no one wants. I always end up throwing most of Kiddo's away eventually any way. I always let him pick out what we hand out and make sure it is gluten-free. I always buy too much, so that gets thrown in with his.

For those of you worrying about Thanksgiving...don't fret! It can be done!! We usually host one dinner (totally gluten-free) and then attend one dinner (not gluten-free, we bring our own food). Same with Christmas. Both dinners are great and Kiddo does just fine. I never feel like he is left out. It is more work, but really not enough to stress about.

I didn't read the other posts but our kids in CA hardly trick or treat any more probably due to 9/11. 18 year olds do and some people with babies. Most people attend harvest festivals held on Halloween night. They are at churches and schools. That is what we will be doing from now on. That may be a safe alternative for you. You could contribute some gluten free things as prizes.